Pearl Barley Risotto with Green Garlic and Red Russian Kale

Serves

2 People

Cooking Time

40 minutes

Season

Spring

Dietary

Dairy Free

Vegan

Vegetarian

Ingredients

1 small onion, diced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
200g pearl barley
200ml white wine (optional)
700ml hot vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1 bunch of green garlic
1 tablespoon miso paste (any colour)
9/10 stems of red Russian kale, roughly chopped
1 lime
200g cashews, toasted and chopped
1 tablespoon of Lahori tamarind chutney
Crumbled vegan feta to serve (optional)

Method

1- Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and pearl barley and stir together, coating the grains in the oil. Add the wine, if using, and allow to bubble and absorb.

2- Then add around a 1/2 of the hot veg stock and the bay leaves and stir well. Allow the liquid to absorb then add the remaining stock and cook on a medium/low heat until all the liquid has been absorbed and the barley is tender but still has some bite.

3- Trim away the roots and the most straggly tops from the green garlic, still leaving plenty of green on them, and then slice lengthways. Add them to the pan and cook for a few minutes.

4- In a jug add a dash of hot water to the miso paste and mix well, then add that to the barley, along with the red Russian kale, stir and cook for another 5 minutes.

5- Squeeze half the lime into the barley, taste and season with salt and black pepper. Then stir in the Lahori tamarind chutney.

6- Serve in bowls, scattering the toasted cashew, crumbled feta (if using) and a drizzle of extra virgin on top.